Memories
by WriterofGotham
Summary: Tim realized that it wasn't enough. Being polite and only talking when talked to wasn't enough to make them stay so he settled for a second best option. He would make sure the memories they had of their time in Gotham with him would be as good as he could make them


It's a well known fact that Tim's parents weren't home much at all. It's also a well know fact that Tim is always well behaved and polite. If Tim is being honest he knew those two facts had a lot more in common than he would want to believe. His nannies drilled it into him at a young age that he needed to be on his best behavior for his parents over time Tim realized that it wasn't enough. Being polite and only talking when talked to wasn't enough to make them stay so he settled for a second best option.

He would make sure the memories they had of their time in Gotham with him would be as good as he could make them. When a festival came to town he politely asked to go. He took as many pictures of his parents as he could so they would remember that Gotham was were they met and fell in love. They even offered to buy him a candy apple, but Tim knew better than to accept such a generous offer. His parents hated to waste money and it is a well proven fact that festival food is marked up 150%. Tim researched all he could about business so he could understand them when they talked. Mother had also made some comments about Kimberly Kane gaining a few pounds and looking like a beached whale. It was better if he never gave his mother a reason to look back at the pictures and be ashamed of him. He declined the offer, but relished that he had been asked by his father.

There was one picture of the complete Drake family Tim had given (bribed) a passerby a few dollars to offer to take a picture of them all. The picture is as clear as the memories of that day Jack was smiling looking at Janet who was looking at him the same way and they each had a hand on of of Tim's shoulders. He was looking straight at the camera. The festival ended and they had left with a few copies of all the pictures he took snuck in their bags. He hoped they wouldn't forget that Gotham was still there with him waiting. It didn't make a difference they came back months later but they had lost all the pictures forgotten in a hotel room halfway across the world.

He made more copies and made sure to put them in their wallet and purse the next time. Janet caught him going through her purse and made the nanny punish him for being a brat. He remembered that being called a brat by her hurt worse than any punishment that his nanny could have doled out. Tim explained that he was putting in the pictures so they wouldn't forget him. The nanny had huffed and whispered some words that Tim knew later were cuss words. It didn't matter because the next time they came home Jack still had one of the pictures of him and Janet and that was better than last time. The picture was old by that time Janet fixed her hair differently now and their clothes were dated and out of style.

Tim still was well behaved and made sure that he didn't do anything that would make them regret coming home to Gotham, to him. This time he was working out more which made him look more athletic and not like a beached whale at all. They never said anything but Tim like to think they approved of how he looked now. Robin was good for more than one thing after all.

Robin also put everything he learned watching Dick and Jason to good use. Bruce liked Robin to be efficient, stealthy, and safe. Tim had plenty of practice of staying out of the way so most of his childhood was training. Bruce was weirder than his parents after he got to know him more and Tim wasn't sure how to take it at first. Bruce wasted a lot of money on him. Not Robin him, Tim Drake. It was really really weird and he explained many times that he didn't need to taken out to eat for his birthday. He didn't need a new bike his old one worked just fine and he had it for years. He didn't need an allowance his parents gave him one (when they remembered).

Bruce was nice and Tim felt bad for taking advantage of his generosity. He ordered one of the least expensive meals the restaurant offered, but it was still too much for a thirteen year olds birthday, his birthday. Bruce wasn't even his dad; he was his boss and wasn't he at least a little worried that people would see him with him? His parent's seemed to dread taking him out in public. Bruce gave him a bike that fit him better saying that it used to be Jason's but Tim knew that Jason liked motorcycles not bikes. Jason didn't own a bike before he died, it didn't take a detective to know that Bruce bought it just for him. Tim wasn't sure if he could ever repay Bruce for all that he had given him. Tim tried as best he could as Robin to not disappoint. He worked tirelessly on cases, solving riddles, and anything he could get his hands so even if Bruce grew weary of having him around he would still make his life easier and Bruce wouldn't be able to replace him quickly.

Bruce wasted a lot of money on him and Tim knew that it was probably a misplaced sense of gratitude for being Robin. That was the only thing that he could think of. Bruce made sure he ate supper with them and a post patrol snack Tim tried to make sure that he didn't eat to much. His own mother didn't like fat people Batman didn't need an overweight partner. It didn't help that Alfred tried to get him to take leftovers home. He didn't want Bruce and Alfred to think him in need of food so he turned down the offers and explained that he could make his own breakfast and lunch. Alfred and Bruce gave him looks he couldn't decipher, but Tim thought they were secretly proud of his independence and ability to take care of himself.

Dick treated him like he was his little brother because he missed Jason. Tim wished Dick realized what a poor substitute he was for Jason. Although he couldn't help, but soak up all the attention, hugs and words. Tim committed them all memory so he could have it even when he wasn't Robin anymore. He took pictures of Bruce and Dick, or Alfred and Bruce, or all of them together because Tim loved watching them interact and wondered what it was like to fit in like a piece in a puzzle.

When his parents died and he was left with a company that was hemorrhaging money and would take a miracle to avoid bankruptcy Bruce offered to merge DI with WE. Tim agreed more for the thousands of employees sake than his own. Bruce, bless his generous heart, offered to adopt Tim. That would be taking advantage of him too much. He would do the merger to save jobs and help families, but if Bruce had time to consider and really think about it there was no way that he would want to adopt him. Dick was his son already and he lost Jason and was trying to fill that hole. That was all Bruce was thinking of when he made that offer Alfred would talk some sense into him and he would rescind it.

Tim didn't want to hear Bruce rescind it so he thought up an better way of dealing with things. He forged some papers and hired an actor to play the role of his Uncle Greg. The plan was great he had enough monthly stipend from the merger that he had more money to live on than when his parents were alive. He sold Drake Manor and leased an apartment close inside Gotham and near enough the manor he could ride his motorcycle, that was another gift from Bruce to drive to and from the Batcave. He told Bruce that his uncle was busy with work and that he didn't want to raise suspicion on their nightly activities.

Dick, Alfred, and Bruce were so nice to him after his parents were gone. Tim didn't knew how to feel about it because it was easy to forget they were really dead because they never came to Gotham anymore over the last few years. He only had a handful of memories of when they were there let alone paying any amount of attention to him. All the years of working hard and being good so they would have good memories of him was wasted when they died. When Tim realized it after all the anger and grief subsided he had a talk with Bruce.

It was a short and to the point talk that he didn't want to be a burden, but he created the uncle. If the option was still open he would like to be adopted and not depend on himself for everything. Bruce had simply hugged him.

"You'll always be welcome in my home. I would be honored for you to be my son," Bruce said, "Now lets get you packed and ready to go home."

"Home. That sounds nice." Wayne Manor was more of home than Drake Manor had ever been to Tim.

Bruce put his arm on his shoulder, "I want you to know that you never have to hesitant to ask for anything from me. I want to take care of you. I want you to be my son in all aspects if you want you can keep your last name."

"Thank you so much, Bruce."

"I should be thanking you. Alfred's been so worried about you and Dick wanted me to fight custody for you. I love you Tim."

That night Tim ate supper without fear of disapproval and for the first time in his life he decided that he was going to make memories he would look back and treasure. He was still overly polite at times and would forget that he didn't have to worry about Bruce suddenly leaving or replacing him with a better kid. Bruce and Alfred were there to remind him he didn't have to be afraid of anymore of making sure others memories of him were perfect.

* * *

"It's time to go school shopping, Tim. Do you want to go with me or Alfred to the store?" Bruce asked and watched as Tim looked up at him surprised.

"I just need a few notebooks and some pencils. We don't have to make a big deal out of Bruce," Tim replied nonplussed.

"You need more clothes and shoes for school. Come on it won't take that long to go shopping," Bruce said as he motioned for Tim to get dressed and ready to go. Tim obediently went to his room to get dressed used to obeying orders that didn't make sense to him at the time.

"I'll take you to wherever you want for lunch. Shopping won't be that bad," Bruce said before mumbling under his breath, "Jason used to hate going back to school shopping and then Dick used to love going and picking out the ugliest clothes. I hope Tim has better taste than Dick."

Tim came down from his room dressed in the clothes that he'd had for years it was a slightly faded polo and jeans that Bruce noticed hadn't grown with him. He looked more like a middle-class kid in Salvation Army clothes that were hand me downs from an older sibling. Bruce mused that he would have to completely get him a new wardrobe. He sighed as he knew it would be a fight to let him buy Tim clothes.

"I'm ready to go," Tim said resigned to the trip.

Bruce smiled as he looked at his son, "It won't be that bad I promise. Shopping is a necessary evil for school and life."

Tim smiled a little, " Just don't go crazy and buy me a lot, please."

"I like buying you things, Tim. You're my son," Bruce replied as they walked to the garage, "It's not like I'll go broke buying you a few sets of clothes."

Tim didn't reply as they slid into the car. Bruce turned on the radio and for the most part, his attempts on conversation were shot down. Tim didn't want to go to any big expensive store instead agreeing to Target. Bruce Wayne was well known around Gotham, yet he and Tim were able to go to through the store without any fuss. "What about this?" Bruce asked holding up a shirt that was covered with stripes.

"I don't really like it. Is this one ok?" Tim asked showing a simple red shirt.

"It's fine, Tim. Get as many as you want as many colors as you like," Bruce reaffirmed.

"Thanks," Tim said as he put it in the cart. They continued down the clothes section with Bruce putting more in the cart than Tim did. When they had looked at everything from underwear, to blue jeans Bruce watched Tim catalog all the clothes before heading to the Trying on room. The trying on room was filled with other kids and their parents getting ready for school to go back. Bruce watched as Tim tried on every article of clothes and modeled for him, "Do you like this? I think the material is really soft and so I think it would be good to wear for eight hours a day."

"It looks good Tim. I told you anything you want you can get," Bruce said to his son.

"Thanks, Bruce, I think I'll get it."

After their shopping trip which consisted of Tim getting wide-eyed and almost freaking out in the store when the cashier announced the total for all the clothes, he picked out. When they got in the car with all the bags in the trunk, Tim still hadn't calmed down any, Bruce put his hand on Tim's shoulder and explained, "I'm your guardian, Tim. It is completely normal for parent's or guardian's to spend money on their kids. Your my kid now, just like Dick is. I like to spend money on things that you like or need. I'll never get angry if you want to get something."

"It's just so much and I'll grow out of them," Tim stammered as he looked at Bruce like he couldn't believe he had just told him parent's wanted to spend money on their kids.

"Jason used to think like that it took awhile eventually he understood that when he grew out of the clothes they would get donated to charities for less fortunate and low-income families."

"That's good the clothes become a tax write off after they no longer are useful," Tim sighed and leaned back in the car seat relieved.

Bruce didn't contradict him even if it was usually an anonymous donation to keep the paper from reporting on it. Bruce Wayne enjoyed doing good things without all the accolades that were heaped on him by the press.

"Thanks for taking me shopping. I really appreciate it," Tim said, "Usually Mrs. Mac took me shopping and we had to stick to what my parents budget allowed. It wasn't like this at all. This is so much!"

Bruce smiled and pulled on to the highway. "Your welcome. If you start school and see you need anything else just let me of Alfred know. Dick was the worst for starting school and a week later losing all his pencils to classmates who would borrow them. Alfred just started to get a pack every time he went shopping. Don't worry about any of it. Oh, and tell me if anyone starts picking on you in school and I'll take care of it. Jason always tried to take care of it himself and it worked as long as a teacher didn't catch on. Don't do that to me."

"No one picks on me in school. I figured out how to hack the school system and unless they want to tank all their classes and repeat a grade they stay away from me." Tim said offhandedly.

"Smart, but unethical," Bruce replied.

"The school system is hardly ethical, Bruce and being vigilantes isn't legal either in case you forgot," Tim snarked back.

"I'm getting hungry. Where do you want to go for lunch?" Bruce changed the subject.

"Anywhere," Tim replied as he pulled out his phone.

Bruce counted it as a win he hadn't had to fight with him to agree to go out to eat instead of going home to what Alfred would fix. Bruce contemplated telling Tim that he could order more than water but nixed the idea knowing Tim's response would be to insist he liked drinking water and would explain how much sugar was in soda as if Bruce should know that fact and be appalled.

"How about Italian?"

"I like pasta," Tim replied.

Alfred didn't mind when they went out for lunch because it was important Father/Son bonding. Bruce pulled into a place known for great pasta and a homey environment. The server seated them giving them menus Bruce watched as Tim skimmed it for the cheapest thing and was unsurprised when he ordered water. Bruce ordered coffee and a medium-priced fire-roasted pizza. Tim ordered a plate of spaghetti with a salad.

They ate with Tim telling Bruce about the high school classes he signed up for and what he had heard about the teachers. Bruce asked the right questions and Tim seemed to thrive on being listened to, actually being heard for once. Bruce didn't mind listening if it made his son happy. Tim was his kid and Bruce loved him. All the quirks and idiosyncrasies that Tim had, that all his kids had.

Bruce would work toward making sure Tim knew that it mattered if he was happy.


End file.
